Pink Think

I definitely believe "pink think" still exists today. It does not exist in the same way it did in decades past, but it has evolved over time, developing new concepts while forgetting some older ones. One of the most prominent places I see pink think is in TV commercials that advertise hair and skin care products. These commercials convince women that to be pretty they need to have perfect hair and flawless skin with no wrinkles or blemishes, and if they don't then no one, particularly men, will look at them or take them seriously. Older women are told they must use certain products in order to look younger, as if looking one's age is morally wrong. This influences society because women everywhere now worry constantly about looks and age. It is considered rude to ask a woman her age, but not a man.

I also often observe situations in which a woman is afraid to act in certain ways or be too successful because they are afraid a man might be intimidated by them. I also observe situations where men are uncomfortable being of lower rank in the workplace than women, such as a man being a secretary for a woman, or a man being a nurse and a woman being a surgeon. I don't see this near as often as I would if it were twenty years ago, but I still see it. These are just a few examples of where I see "pink think" today.

Another stereotypical behavior that I see is a concept I would call "acting black." The first time I really started to notice it, and to notice its powerful influence was in middle school. I was one of the white students in a school that was about 85% black. When I first got there I didn't think anything of color and how people related it to behavior, but over time I saw and heard about specific ways black people were supposed to act, and specific ways white people were supposed to act. I still see this today. According to the stereotype, black people are supposed to like hip hop and rap music, they are supposed to talk a certain way and dance a certain way, and there is so much more to what a black person should be. White people on the other hand are supposed to like country music and must speak and dance very proper and boring. A friend of mine was even told by a classmate that she wasn't really black because she had a poster of a pop singing group in her locker. Now I know that middle school students act like this to an extent simply because they haven't grown up enough, but I see this even in adults. If a white person can't dance, or can't say something in a way that a friend says it they say "I can't pull that off, I'm too white." I don't mean to offend anyone by writing this, but I just see it as the honest truth. I have faced much racism because I am white from people of all races, including other white people.

I also see much racism against people of different races, whether they are black, Hispanic, Asian, or any other race, from people who claim not to be racists. According to stereotypes, Asians are all really smart, Indians are good with computers, Hispanics party with really loud music, Blacks are thieves and gang members, and Whites are rednecks. In reality I have many good friends of all different races who are all very smart, are good with computers, and party with loud music, and I see thieves, gang members, and rednecks of all races. I am disgusted by these stereotypes, but they are so prominent in today's society. I don't see why these stereotypes continue on they way the do. I believe a person is who they make him/herself, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else.